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What songs cramp your hands?

#41
It is possible to dig in too much with the fretting hand. I used to do this on Billy Jean. Guaranteed hand cramp. Occasionally, set two will start with Boogie Oogie Oogie > Groove is in the Heart > Billy Jean, sometime with no break in between each song. If I don't relax right from the start, there's no way to get through all three.

Part of my practice routine is seeing how long I can play a repetitive groove till I can't take it anymore.
 
#42
Dazed and Confused used to bother me, too. Especially if the guitarist decided to play the fast part forever!

Solved the problem by watching how JP Jones did it. Instead of using a closed hand position, like I was, he uses an open A.
Hit the next C, slide it up to the D and you're on your way. It gives your forearm a little rest.
 
#44
I used to play in a Dave Matthews tribute band for a few years. Many of the bass lines move around quite a bit, but the one song that almost always cramped my left hand was Seek Up. Our arrangement of the song had an extended sax solo intro, then the main song, and then a long, extended violin outro. The outro would sometimes go on for 10 minutes after the main song was over. My line was a rhythmic D, F, and G on the low B and E strings. The repetition at arms length for that time period almost always brought cramps and pain to my left hand. It is also my fav. DMB song.
 
#45
it takes a while for me to be able to do some of the crazy stuff, and during that time the extreme stretches aren't comfortable. As for what dave said about cramping, straight up cramping I would ahree with him on, but the pain of stretching can be there. This pic illustrates the not so comfy.

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definitely could be worse, and definitely has been worse.

some songs I straight up don't like to start a set off with, like Blubop by the flecktones or a fruity tune called omega prime on this page.

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of course, if I really had been warming up for about an hour, things might be different. But I don't really push my self while warming up, might just be me.
 
#47
Dave Muscato said:
You guys get cramps?

IMHO, your technique is flawed if you're getting cramps.... Strength is hardly necessary.

Playing bass should be like petting a sleeping cat.... you can dig in a bit if you want, but it's really not necessary to play any harder than that. If you need more volume, turn up your amp.

Check out this video:

Click to expand...


Left-hand cramps don't come from playing too hard. They come from repetitive motion. I have a song I do called "Acid Funk" that wears me out by the end of it, but I'm working on it. I used to have songs that did me in with right-hand fatigue but I've mostly gotten over that.

Of course, I'm currently in an exploratory mode with my playing. I worked on a chording riff last night that had me pretty worn out by the end of it. But I treat it like an exercise. Each time I do it I expect to get a little better.
 
#48
Paranoid by Black Sabbath.

Especially when
(a) I haven't practiced enough the previous week,
(b) I haven't been using my grip exerciser during my daily commute,
(c) we play it late in the last set - which we always do,
(d) the drummer starts it too fast and then continues to speed up during the song - which he usually does!
 
#51
Pearldiver said:
Dazed and Confused.

My bass instructor laughed when I told him. Basically said I was a weakling and needed to build strength and dexterity in my hand(s).

Still can't do it. :(
Click to expand...

The guitar solo section isn't hard, it's just long and repetitive and requires a lot of endurance... I always get tired at the end of that riff. :ninja:

YYZ is the first one that comes to mind... by the time the third bass solo is played my right hand is almost dead :crying:
 
#54
All Along The Watchtower - (more the Dylan version) just playing the roots because that's what works with what the guitar and keys do... and the guitarist solos for the longest time. It cramps my left hand and my brain every time.

More difficult stuff never makes my hand cramp, nor does playing for 3 or 4 hours strait. All that gets me is that repetative boring stuff.
 
#55
driver800 said:
any song that includes extended repetitive motions. i mean the same simple left-hand pattern over and over.


+1 For me it the song "Low Rider" by WAR. The bass line stays down in position and just keeps doing the same 'F'-ing thing. It doesn't help when our drummer (who is NOT a singer) wants to prolong the song so he doesn't have to sing so frequently. :mad:
Click to expand...
 
#58
Correct technique or not can't help ya on Etta James "Tell Mama" played in F.

It's not only repetitive but has major string tension issues and an octave note that holds a ring into the repeat pattern.

:) ... Move it to the Key of E all of the problems disappear.
 

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